Beleaguered Rome faces transport meltdown, puts 5-Star in difficulty

A public bus is seen in downtown Rome, Italy July 30, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile (REUTERS)

ROME (Reuters) – Rome’s transport system is suffocating under debts and should declare bankruptcy, the outgoing head of the public company said at the weekend, piling pressure on the 5-Star Movement which runs city hall.

Bruno Rota quit Atac on Friday, just three months after taking charge of the Italian capital’s bus, metro and tram network, saying he was unable to salvage the firm and feared possible legal action tied to any eventual collapse.

“It is an appalling scandal,” said Rota, who was called down to Rome after helping to turn around the transport system in the northern city of Milan. “The situation is worse than you can imagine,” he told la Repubblica newspaper.